It's weird to compare Scott Brown in NH to Romney in UT. Nobody in Utah.

The takeaway from the Scott Brown fiasco is this: In 2004, Mass had a Republican governor (Romney). Everybody else in Mass government was a Democrat. One of them (John Kerry) was running for President. The law at the time was that if a Senator leaves office mid-term, then the Governor picks the replacement. So, the Democrats changed the law to schedule a special election.

Fast forward a few years, and the other Senator (Ted Kennedy) dies mid-term. A special election is scheduled, and the Democrat (Martha Coakley) runs an awful campaign against a completely unknown Republican (Scott Brown) who drives a $2000 pickup while wearing a million dollar smile. It's puppy love and The Republican wins.

A few months later, Massachusetts realizes they made a big mistake. When the term is up, they elect the Democrat.

Scott Brown's NH run is merely a footnote to all that.

The real lesson to be learned here is that special elections are risky. What Massachusetts really needs is a new elected office of "backup Senator". You elect one every six years, when the other two Senator are not up for election. They would have zero duties. Their only role would be to assume the title of junior Senator if one of the sitting Senators dies or quits. The seat would usually be filled by the sitting Governor or another elected official, who would continue with their usual duties. That would provide better continuity and stability in government.

Brown losing in NH has more to do with NH not wanting Massholes stinking up their state. If Brown had run against Markey he would have likely won and earned an odd footnote in Massachusetts history as the Senator which lost one Senate seat and then went on to win the other.

I bet NH people just hate having to sanitize their cars when they drive home from their jobs in MA five days a week. I hear they have a special NH resident carwash just for that behind the big booze barn on 95.

Brown lost to Warren for a reason: he was a Rove stooge. He had a choice between representing MA or representing the GOP. He chose poorly. He won over Croakley because he didn't have her baggage; he lost to Warren and then again in NH because he packed a Turdblossom in his. The Rove ads for his campaign were very much not Massachusetts or New England in the same way that the KEVIN?!?!?! anti pot ads were tone deaf to the point of hilariousness.

Brown was a fluke who had no place in the Senate. Number two (like Brown) is the proof is in the fact that once Trump picked him to be the Ambassador to New Zealand that fucking idiot has spent 90% of his time there Tweeting about his windsurfing and other feats of strength.All on the taxpayer dime.

I mean, not like Brown should spend his days explaining his boss to his hosts and trying not to be offended at all of the people laughing at him at state dinners.

made his odious fortune, and how he cravenly repudiated the good things he did in MA when he ran for President.

But I suspect and hope he might stand up as a voice of relative reason and morality amidst an almost entirely morally and intellectually bankrupt GOP Senate. Of course he'll still be a stooge for his fellow 0.01%-ers, but as a Mormon (and I believe a patriot), he might be a rare voice calling out Trump on his most egregious assaults on the truth, a free press, and the kind of basic human decency that demands our society look after the elderly, the sick, and the desperately impoverished.

It's a testament to how far the Republican Party has fallen that he looks like a comparatively upstanding option in these dark times. It's weird, surreal, to look back at W and an imagined Romney presidency with wistful nostalgia. After watching the national GOP support Roy Moore, I'll take whatever tiny victories we can get. Romney isn't my kind of politician, but at least he's not an entirely unspeakable moral black hole.

Short version: Romney is loathsome for a number of reasons. But in today's GOP, less odious than most is what we must settle for.

When you have a national political party that funds the campaign of a child molester, and is actively disinterested in investigating a mountain of evidence that a hostile power interfered in our elections, the ability to stand up once in a while and say that the President is an unstable, Nazi-coddling, inveterate liar, as Romney has done, counts as patriotism.

Again: that Romney is a comparatively attractive candidate simply highlights what a giant amoral shitpile the GOP has become.

Why did all Dems vote against releasing it if what you state is what the memo contains? Strange approach, no? Maybe there is more than one memo out there.

I'm talking about the one that will show your Messiah, Obama, is a corrupt piece of garbage, but we already knew that (those of us with a brain anyway). Your righteous, honorable, "for the people" Democrats along with the DOJ & FBI are shady as fuck, yet claim to be the beacon of integrity. It's kind of hilarious, actually.

But yeah, Trump said he grabbed groupies by the pussy like 20 years ago...so let's keep focused on that. Good talk, as always. <3

This scumbag that masquerades as President has set the bar so low, that this just another day in the joke that is this "Administration". His supporters don't care, they are the poorly educated, after all...

I never said Trump's words were acceptable, but let's be clear that he was referring to groupies...don't just say "women" like it could be random women on the street. He was referring to women who throw themselves at famous people.....again, it was a dumb comment.

Your last sentence is so ignorant it kind of amazes me, but I've been on this board for years and that's just how you roll. Why do you draw insane conclusions based on nothing people actually said? I guess it makes you happy and that's part of your MO on here, but it always struck me as odd.

the tolerant right? As far as "groupies" this is a man who pays pornstars for sex, where do the "groupies" that want to sleep with a fat old man with a tiny dick come out and say so the way the women who have been allegedly been sexually assaulted by that scumbag have?

And in my many years of dealing with "groupies" I always saw them as women and human beings, not the cum rags you and that fat traitor seem to think they are.

Keep wrapping yourself in the tattered flag of traitors and their sycophants, I'll wait for the decorated Marine to make short work of that fat slob and then watch as his cretinous supporters strangle themselves in their vain efforts to continue to deny the truth. Oh, and I'm not a Dem.

Regardless of anybody's appearance/age/fitness level, groupies are out there and willing if you're rich and famous...that's a fact. They literally throw themselves at a person and if "they let you do it" according to Trump, then what's the issue? Their main goal is to bed famous people, so he's going along with what they offer him. When groupies throw themselves at a guy and he's equally as aggressive as they are, does that constitute rape? Doesn't seem like it would be to me, but maybe they need to sign some kind of contract before they come on to a guy, and then he counter-signs to indicate that he will be coming on to them also? I don't get it.

Had no idea you weren't a Dem....surprised to see that. As for the tolerant right, there are idiots on all sides....but I'm pretty sure the left labels themselves as the compassionate base that is "for the people" and they love their socialist programs and sanctuary cities, etc....but I've seen nothing but hysterics and violence and ignorance since Trump was elected....and it's somewhat comical but somewhat scary, and definitely hypocritical. I saw a meme somewhere that said "love trumping hate involves a lot more arson and assault than I thought it would.".....soundly describes what we've seen from the "compassionate" party on the left.

And as someone who did two tours with Aerosmith, I can tell you that groupies are a little more discriminating in their tastes than to give it away a fat old man with a little dick,hence the payoff to Ms. Daniels.And the first Mrs. Trump and the second Mrs. Trump...and.....

And if his previous history is any indication, that scumbag lies about getting laid the same way he lied about bone spurs.

Those tours must have been a lot of fun - that's a great experience to have had.

I'm sure that not every single famous/rich person has those experiences every single time, but I am good friends with a band who have toured with other bands of all ages.....they've told plenty of stories involving older people and groupies. Some groupies may be discriminatory, some may not. Again, regardless of age/fitness level/appearance, there are groupies out there that are willing..that doesn't mean every single one of them are.

The payoff was to keep Daniels from running her mouth in the press, no? Hush money? I haven't read a word of what she said so who knows.

Politicians lie unfortunately. Your gal Jill Stein lied about recounts and stole all that money didn't she? Is she your gal or do you distance yourself from all politicians so nobody can point out that your person lies and sucks at life, just like every other politician?

In which I somehow find something to be optimistic about regarding Mitt Romney returning to national politics, simply due to hoping Trumpism is temporary.

I'd still likely prefer what the younger Mormons have to offer, though. The dinosaurs that haunt our politics are IMO the biggest problem that exists beyond the scope creep of government to begin with.

You know better than that! Romney thinks he can get all those Morons, er...Mormons to give him Orrin Hatch's seat, now that after the tax bill celebration at the White House, Hatch has shown he has less spine than Romney does and is retiring.

Forget that dinner where Trump was smiling maniacally at Romney like he is the spineless pussy he proved himself to be? He's done.

Also, Mitt's Twitter had him living in Massachusetts at 12:45PM today. As of 3:12PM today, his residence was listed as Holladay, Utah. Hellllllloooo!?

If you have ever known any Mormons, you might know that they pride themselves on large families and social support and having a healthy population.

Yanking the rug out from under children's health care was not popular in the least. Being infected with greed is also not a popular thing in that crowd.

But I'm guessing that you have never known any Mormons as colleagues, classmates, or friends ... like any other group, some are dickhead idiots who promote hateful stupidity. However, many are very committed communitarians by tradition and faith, and Mitt is likely stepping into the breach before a full blown dissent brews (despite his own clear greed infection and daddy issues).

I was in a service industry for over thirty years, think I met a Mormon or two or do you think I was just hanging around with Catholics in Eastie or Muslims at the limo pool? Also, Romney was one of those I serviced. I am not knocking their faith, I am mocking the fact that for some in that sect, voting along religious lines has proven to be much to their detriment as in Hatch's case and definitely Romney's when he announces. A sleazy move by a sleazy politician

You haul rich pricks around, and that population will always be enriched with greedbags. Like any group, some of those greedbags will be God-infused.

And hauling people around once in a while is quite different from working with them.

Growing up out west, I got to know a more representative sample of Mormons. They don't all think like Romney or Hatch, and tend to be overrepresented in fields like medical research and public health..

I haven't driven any rich pricks around for a while now. I retired at 53. You?
I also drove a lot of cable installers, middle managers, Parrotheads,publicists, interns, personal assistants and the like.

Howard Zinn was my friend and client the last two years of his life. I spent days discussing race with Cornel West. Are they rich pricks? So, please, continue to enthrall us all with the tales of your rich life experience and I'll continue to bore others with the details of mine.